The Herman Trend Alert
September 23, 2015
Creating Solutions for Neglected Problems
TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) is a global movement of makers who use design and technology to address the special needs of people living with disabilities. Loosely translated, Tikkun Olam means, "however repair". TOM brings together innovators in technology and engineering to design assistive devices for people with disabilities.
Sponsors who want to make a profound difference
TOM engages local and international sponsors to create Hackathons, events where software and hardware developers intensively collaborate on projects to solve problems for people with disabilities at work and in the community. Though TOM hackathons began in Israel, they are now held all over the world. Most recently, along with Makerbot, one of the top companies in 3D printing, Google.org, sponsored an event in San Francisco. Google.org is the philanthropic arm of Google. It supports innovative approaches to tackling the worldÕs biggest challenges. This year the group has taken on the challenge to expand opportunity and increase independence for people with disabilities.
Teams at Makeathons hack the future by creating solutions that really work
Less than two weeks ago, TOM mounted the Bay Area Makeathon. During its three-day makeathons, TOM brings together engineers, programmers, designers, makers, and people with disabilities to rapidly prototype extremely affordable solutions. TOM directs innovation to the places where the most impact can be created. The makers are given a complete supply of materials, machines, and even food, so that they may concentrate on creating these groundbreaking solutions.
At the end of the 72 hours, the teams present their projects to a panel of judges. The judges then match teams with the most promising prototypes to prizes that will enable them to take their next steps towards production.
Real products for real people
TOM hackathons have produced some fantastic innovations to assist people with disabilities. Among these products are Internet-of-things Crutches that capture data for walking efficiency, the Ultrasight hat for assisting the visually impaired, and the Stair Climbing Walker that rotates to allow the user to safely climb steps. Check out the YouTube videos for more information
Harnessing the power of collaboration
Expect to see many more of these kinds of collaborations, as humans come together to create solutions to solve some of the world's toughest problems. Perhaps Peter Diamandis is right; we can use an "abundance" of brainpower and innovation to tackle the greatest challenges faced by humankind. If only we could use that same power of collaboration to end war?
Attend a local TOM event or join the online community. Special thanks to Cornell University's Employer Practices Rehabilitation Research & Training Center for bringing TOM to our attention.
© Copyright 1998-
by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist. 1.336.210.3548 or https://hermangroup.com. To sign up, visit https://HermanTrendAlert.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc."
HEAR JOYCE SPEAK TOMORROW AT 11:30 AM EDT
Tomorrow morning, Joyce will be a Fireside Chat Speakers at the Brightside Business Women Empowerment Virtual Conference where she will talk about how business women can use the insights from her new, groundbreaking book, EXPERIENCE RULES, to be successful. Register for FREE at https://brightsideglobaltrade.org/women.
GET COACHING FOR YOUR PEOPLE FOR LESS THAN $1/DAY!
Gain access to dozens of coaches for the same low price. Find out more by visiting https://ingomu.com/joyceg
JOYCE IS ON THE RADIO EVERYDAY NOW
To listen to Joyce's TV shows on the radio, simply visit RadioFutures.com. Joyce's show is streaming every day at 3:00PM Pacific Time.
To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: https://hermangroup.com/alert/archive_3-29-2023.html.
Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers.
New subscribers are always welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is read by over 30,000 people in 90 countries, including other websites and printed periodicals. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert.
Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Herman Trend Alert service.
Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert
View this week's Herman Trend Alert
Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts
